


I hate you, I love you.

by transmaxirl (paigebomb)



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, OOC, One Night Stand, One Shot, mostly safe for work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 06:29:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8193715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paigebomb/pseuds/transmaxirl
Summary: Max and Victoria aren't exactly friends. They weren't when this started. But Victoria always kept coming back. And Max wonders why. Why does she keep doing this to her?





	

**Author's Note:**

> First note, I'm so sorry for disappearing for so long. Running to the Sea is getting updates soon, I promise. I've started branstorming new ideas with my editor and I'm 100% working on a new chapter which is way better than the one I scrapped. But, I've had this idea for a bit and finally got around to writing it and honestly, I'm pretty proud of it. I'm definitely going to start working on some more Maximum Victory one shots in between chapters for Running to the Sea!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

Max could smell it in her breath. Victoria got too drunk again at a Vortex Club party. She didn’t really mind all that much, it was Victoria’s business, not hers, but she couldn’t help but feeling hurt. She did this all the time. She’d get too drunk, come to Max, she’d get really handsy and intimate, and then she’d pass out on Max’s bed. It’s become such a recurring theme that Max has started to write, “Come in, Victoria” on her whiteboard on the nights of the parties.

It’s not like Max didn’t want this though. She craved the intimacy. Sure, in the morning, it would all be gone, Victoria will have left and she would be alone again, just another one night stand, but she still craved it. That’s why she left the notes for Victoria on her whiteboard on the night of the parties. That’s why she let it continue happening. Max knew it hurt because Victoria never acknowledges any of it, but that didn’t stop Max from wanting it. _Maybe this is a weird form of masochism,_ Max thought to herself, one arm wrapped around a sleeping and naked Victoria, as she started up at the ceiling.

Max knew she wanted more than this, more than being Victoria’s drunken escapade, but she never had the courage to actually bring it up when Victoria was sober. Then again, that’s assuming Victoria would even talk to her at all when she was sober. Victoria shifted positions, moving closer to Max and pressing herself against Max’s side, her arm strewn across Max’s chest. Max didn’t move a muscle besides to wrap her arm around the girl in a slightly more comfortable position. She didn’t want to wake her, but sleeping with one arm around someone wasn’t exactly the most comfortable way to sleep.

Max gently whispered to no one in particular, “What are we?”

Victoria stirred a bit, but didn’t show any signs of waking, leaving Max slightly mortified until she settled back down. Max glanced down at the girl in her arms and let out a soft sigh. _She’s still asleep, that’s for sure_ , Max continued her mental narrative, _but I still kinda wish she wasn’t. Maybe she’d give me an answer for once_. She quickly turned her eyes back up at the ceiling, not wanting to get too attached to the moment. Though it was already too late for that. She got attached the first night it happened. The memories come rushing back to her and she lets out a small smile. The first time Victoria kissed her, how she called her beautiful, and said that she wishes she could have been like Max.

Max shook her head, smile still there on her face from her lingering thoughts. Sure, it wasn’t exactly the most romantic night, but it definitely started that way. But the thought still lingers, _did she just say all that to get into my bed?_   The thought won’t leave her mind, no matter how much she doesn’t want to believe it. Then again, it’s not like Victoria’s actions while sober prove the thoughts don’t have merit. Victoria rarely even looks at her anymore, let alone talk to her. It’s not like they were great friends before it, but they got along enough to coexist and now, now it feels like they don’t even exist on the same plane.

Victoria stirred again, pulling Max from her thoughts, but once she realized the girl was still asleep, she returned to them. Max thought about depositing Victoria back to her room, but that would involve getting out of bed and getting at least some semblance of dressed. Enough to at least go into the corridor and not be seen as streaking. Max giggled slightly at the thought of herself streaking. She would never do it, but she couldn’t say the thought didn’t amuse the hell out of her. She started taking bets mentally on who she thought might do it one day. _I bet Chloe would if she thought it’d impress Rachel. Then again, I don’t think Rachel would be too happy with her being banned from campus, so maybe not Chloe._ Max ran down names, trying her hardest to distract herself from the ever looming thoughts in her head.

The ones about Victoria. The ones wishing that she was more than Victoria’s little fuck buddy that she only sees when she’s drunk. The ones that sting because they are the ones that make her doubt she’ll ever be more than a drunken one night stand to Victoria. Max sighed as all these thoughts came rushing back with a vengeance. She couldn’t stop them from coming, and she knew that. She just did her best to try to ignore them as much as she could. She slowly got up from the bed, trying her best not to wake the sleeping Victoria she was still holding up until that point.

Walking slowly over to the mass of clothes that were her night clothes and Victoria’s party clothes, she let out a soft sigh as she tried to figure out which was which. _This isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do in the dark_ , she thought to herself, finally able to piece together what was hers and what was Victoria’s. She threw her night clothes back on as quickly as she could, slowly getting back into bed. She wrapped her arm back around Victoria, who tensed for a second, before stirring a bit more.

“Max, that you?” Victoria’s voice rung out from the quiet. It was filled with sleep and exhaustion and mild hints of alcohol, her words coming out a bit more slurred than she thinks they are.

“Yeah, Vic, it’s me,” Max replied quietly, wondering if the girl was really awake or just sleep talking as she usually does.

Victoria replied back with silence, an arm returning to being draped across Max’s chest as she curled closer to her bed mate. Max was a bit startled, but this wasn’t uncommon. She knew Victoria had a habit of sleep talking when drunk. _This time’s just like the rest, I’m going to wake up tomorrow, she’ll be gone, and she won’t acknowledge me at all through the day,_ Max conceded as she finally relaxed, at least a little bit. Enough to finally closer her eyes and head to sleep.

* * *

Max woke to the blaring of her alarm, screaming at her that she had to wake up and get ready for class. She rolled onto her side and hit the snooze button. _A few more minutes wouldn't kill me…_ She relaxed back into her bed, her eyes never opening once. _Wait… It’s Saturday_ … Her eyes jolted open as she looked back at her bedside table. That most definitely wasn’t her alarm, either. Looking at the table, she realized that it was Victoria’s phone still sitting there, not her alarm clock which sits at the foot of her bed, so she’s forced to get up to turn it off. She quickly rubbed the sleep out her eyes, an exhaustion still setting in over her, but this mystery is much more important. _She probably just forgot her phone, I should go give it to her._

Max slowly turned back into her bed, yawning and stretching herself out. She looked over next to her in bed, but there was no sign of Victoria. _The usual, oh well._ Max sighed softly to herself as she sat up in her bed.

“Good morning sleepy head,” a familiar voice rang out from her couch. _It can’t be…_ Max looked up to see Victoria sitting on her couch, drinking a glass of water. She was still mostly unclothed, just in her bra and panties, but it was enough to get a glass of water on a Saturday morning.

“Vic, you’re- you’re still here,” Max stammered out, a bit shocked, if she was to be totally honest. “You’re normally gone by now…”

A look of guilt showed across Victoria’s face, but only for a second, her neutral yet demanding demeanor returning quickly. If Max hadn’t being paying attention, she’d have easily missed it. “I’m sorry, I know I normally leave,” Victoria said quietly, taking a sip of her water, “but I have a question that I need to answer. Because this isn’t fair to you and you deserve to know.”

Max nodded her head, not quite sure of the question, her head still dazzy from sleep. “And that is?” Max questioned, sounding a lot less confident than intended.

“Last night you asked _What are we?_...” Max heard the words come from Victoria’s mouth and couldn’t believe it. She thought Victoria was sound asleep. There was no way she heard that!

“You were sound asleep!”

“I was faking,” Victoria said nonchalantly, taking another sip of her water, avoiding eye contact with Max at all costs, “Or didn’t you notice me constantly trying to get closer to you?”

Max flickered back to last night, almost like a movie playing in her head. Just before she said it, Victoria had cuddled in closer to her, which made her adjust how she was positioned. It all came back in waves. The fear that she heard it, and now the confirmation that she heard it caused a slamming anxiety. Max wished more than anything she could rewind time back to the moment before she said it and just not have said a thing.

Victoria spoke up, dissipating every thought that Max had, “Maxine, I don’t know what we are, but I don’t want us to be these constant one night stands.” There was a quiver in her voice. She sounded sad and remorseful. It was almost painful to hear, and Max contemplated whether she should move to the couch and hold Victoria. “I know it’s hurting you. I feel guilty, because I’m embarrassed and I shouldn’t be. I can barely even look at you in class because I want to be there for you. I’m just afraid of what would happen if I was. So I stay distant.”

Max nodded, not sure what to say or if she should even say anything. She stared at the floor, her gaze so intense that she convinced herself it could burn a hole through the carpet. Victoria glanced back at Max, her face pleading for a response. “Max, please… Say something,” Victoria said, all confidence in her voice gone, replaced by the same fear and anxiety that filled Max.

“Are you embarrassed of me?” Max questioned softly, her voice weak from holding back tears, “Or are you embarrassed that you are attracted to me?”

Victoria’s face filled with regret, knowing that wasn’t what she meant when she said she was embarrassed, “Max, I’m embarrassed that I’m afraid of falling for someone who clearly cares for me more than I care for myself.”

Max had heard enough. She stood up from the bed and tried to make her way to the door, before Victoria grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to face her. “But I did,” Victoria says, all of the confidence she once had returned, “I fell for a girl who is sweet and caring and kind. I fell for a girl who is there for me even when she shouldn’t be. And I’m embarrassed I haven’t returned the favor yet.”

Victoria planted a soft kiss on Max’s cheek, causing Max to blush a bright rose color. This amused Victoria to no end, as she let out a soft giggle. “I want us to be something,” Victoria said, matter-of-factly, “but only if you want that too.” Max nodded and wrapped her arms around Victoria, whispering, “That’s all I’ve wanted this whole time.”


End file.
